1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mobile phone holder, especially for a mechanical vehicle, suitable for two-part mobile phones: a flip-type mobile phone and a slider-type mobile phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the 20th century, the commonly used mobile phones were most often one-part devices (bar-type phones) with keypads and a display provided on their top surface.
However, in the 21st century two-part mobile phones have been increasingly used. Both parts of such phones are either coupled by means of a hinge in case of flip-type mobile phones or the upper part is slideably mounted in the guiding elements of the lower part in case of slider-type mobile phones.
The lower part of a two-part mobile phone is provided with keypads on its top surface whereas the slideable or openable part is provided with a display.
The phones of this type have been so far provided with a holder as described by German patent No. DE 19 621 014 C1. This holder, mounted in a mechanical vehicle, has a body, in which two side clamps are mounted slideably and crosswise; the clamps, forced by a spring, press the mobile phone placed between them. The holder is also provided with a mechanism to lock the clamps in a set position, and with release buttons, which enable unlocking the clamps.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,744 describes a mobile phone holder provided with two pairs of side clamps. One clamp in each pair of clamps is slideably mounted in the main body of the holder and pressed by a spring, while the other clamp in each pair of clamps is mounted tiltably and also pressed by a spring. Thanks to a flexible four-point clamping the mobile phone sits in the holder more firmly.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,080 describes a holder suitable for mobile phones provided with holes (so-called pilots) on their side surface. This holder has a body on which couplers are mounted and slide along a cam. In their upper position the couplers are tilted. While a mobile phone is inserted into the holder, the couplers slide downwards along the cam, which guides them into the pilots and then locks them in this position. One inconvenience of this holder is that it is suitable only for mobile phones, which have the pilots on their side surfaces.
The International PCT Application Publication No. WO98/11747 describes a mobile phone holder, the main body of which has a cavity in its lower part and a spring coupler with a rotatably mounted clamping pin. A lower part of a mobile phone can be suitably inserted into the cavity. The clamping pin, forced by the mobile phone being inserted into the holder, catches the upper part of the mobile phone and presses towards the surface of the holder.
The major inconvenience of all holders referenced above is that they are not suitable for two-part mobile phones, thickness of the lower part of which placed is much smaller than the thickness of one-part mobile phones.
The object of this invention is thus to provide a mobile phone holder, especially for a mechanical vehicle, which is suitable for two-part mobile phones, both slider-type and flip-type ones, the thickness of the lower part (main body) of which is much smaller than that of one-part mobile phones used so far. It is desired that the holder be also suitable for new-generation one-part mobile phones, which have a significantly small thickness and which as a result cannot be provided with pilots. According to the present invention, the mobile phone holder shall be characterized by a universal applicability, i.e., shall be suitable for various types of mobile phones, even of varying length.